Towns hear calls to halt fracking

As the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation continues to hear comments on proposed regulations for high-volume, high-pressure hydraulic fracturing, activists in the Genesee Valley are looking to town governments to put the brakes on the permitting process.

As the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation continues to hear comments on proposed regulations for high-volume, high-pressure hydraulic fracturing, activists in the Genesee Valley are looking to town governments to put the brakes on the permitting process.

Frack Free Genesee, a group of concerned citizens from across Livingston and Ontario counties, is making the rounds to each town board, asking for a moratorium to be enacted to prevent permits from being issued until local governments can get educated and pass zoning laws and other ordinances.

“The DEC is on track to issue permits as soon as Dec. 13,” Jamie Carestio said at a presentation to the Springwater Town Council Monday.

Carestio gave a presentation, including information from hydraulic fracturing critics Sandra Steingraber and Anthony Ingraffea.

As Frack Free Genesee activists make their way to town councils, they point out the new technologies used by drilling companies to extract gas from the Marcellus shale formation. New chemicals, increased density of wells and multiple wellheads per pad are just a few of the concerns.

Samantha Gilbert and Hal Bauer presented a similar presentation in West Sparta while other presented at Portage, Conesus, Wayland and Nunda. The group is scheduled to present in Dansville on Dec. 6